NEBRASKA INVENTIONINDEX | AUGUST 2025
August 2025: 1.17% (B+ grade)
Nebraska inventionINDEX August 2025: 1.17% (B+ grade)
The inventionINDEX measures innovation output by comparing GDP growth with patent production growth.
Anything over C grade is positive sentiment; anything under C is negative outlook/sentiment. Using that sentiment, it is possible to observe trends over time, and also compare states/countries. In doing so, we can predict which states have the best chance to recover economically from the pandemic (or any other economic incident that may occur).
Nebraska inventionINDEX Scores – Last 12 months
| Month | inventionINDEX Score |
| August 2025 | 1.17% |
| Jul 25 | 1.07% |
| Jun 25 | 1.00% |
| May 25 | 1.11% |
| Apr 25 | 1.21% |
| Mar 25 | 0.90% |
| Feb 25 | 0.82% |
| Jan 25 | 1.07% |
| Dec 24 | 1.23% |
| Nov 24 | 1.00% |
| Oct 24 | 1.11% |
| Sep 24 | 1.04% |
| Aug 24 | 1.23% |
The Nebraska inventionINDEX for August 2025 stands at 1.17%, earning a B+ rating. This score represents an increase from the preceding months of July (1.07%, C+) and June (1.00%, C), indicating a recent upward trend in innovation output. When considering the past year, the August 2025 score is comparable to several stronger performances within that period, such as April 2025 (1.21%, A-) and December 2024 (1.23%, A-), suggesting a return to more robust levels after some fluctuations earlier in the year.
A higher inventionINDEX score and corresponding grade, particularly anything above a C, signals positive economic sentiment and strong innovation output. This indicates that the state’s patent production growth is favorably comparing with its GDP growth, suggesting a healthy environment for research and development. Such positive indicators can attract investment, foster business growth, and potentially lead to job creation, contributing to overall economic resilience and recovery. A consistent pattern of higher grades over time implies a robust and sustainable innovative ecosystem within the state.
Conversely, a lower inventionINDEX score, especially those falling below a C grade, points to a negative outlook or sentiment regarding innovation. For instance, the scores in March 2025 (0.90%, D) and February 2025 (0.82%, F) represent periods of weaker innovation output relative to GDP growth. Such declines can be symptomatic of various economic challenges, including reduced investment in R&D, business contractions, or disruptions to innovation processes. A prolonged period of lower scores could signal potential economic stagnation or a reduced capacity for future growth.
The historical data demonstrates the variability of the inventionINDEX, highlighting periods of both strength and weakness. Understanding these trends and the factors that influence them is crucial for economic forecasting and policy-making. While the August 2025 score is a positive development, continuous monitoring of the inventionINDEX will provide valuable insights into Nebraska’s long-term economic trajectory and its ability to adapt to evolving economic landscapes.
Discussion:
In August, the Nebraska inventionINDEX scored a positive sentiment which was higher than the previous year’s average and outperformed the downward trend for the year. This is similar to the prior 12 months, which experienced a slight downward trend.
As the economy continues to stabilize in the post-pandemic era, it remains uncertain whether any backlog of applications still exists or if the department has returned to normal processing timelines. The inventionINDEX could also be affected by lingering consequences from the pandemic, such as company closures, reduced workforces, and limited R&D capabilities, which may still be impacting current operations.
Learn More:
Are you thinking of patenting any of your bright ideas? Did you know your research work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? To find out more, please check out our free online eligibility test.
Swanson Reed’s Nebraska office provides R&D tax credit consulting and advisory services to Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, Grand Island, and Kearney.
Feel free to book a quick teleconference with one of R&D tax specialists if you would like to learn more about R&D tax credit opportunities.
Who We Are:
Swanson Reed is the largest Specialist R&D tax credit advisory firm in the United States. With offices nationwide, we are one of the only firms globally to exclusively provide R&D tax credit consulting services to our clients. We have been exclusively providing R&D tax credit claim preparation and audit compliance solutions for over 30 years.
Swanson Reed hosts daily free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/free-webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.
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What is the R&D Tax Credit?
The Research & Experimentation Tax Credit (or R&D Tax Credit), is a general business tax credit under Internal Revenue Code section 41 for companies that incur research and development (R&D) costs in the United States. The credits are a tax incentive for performing qualified research in the United States, resulting in a credit to a tax return. For the first three years of R&D claims, 6% of the total qualified research expenses (QRE) form the gross credit. In the 4th year of claims and beyond, a base amount is calculated, and an adjusted expense line is multiplied times 14%. Click here to learn more.
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